The Coming Devastation
Matthew 24:4-8
October 28, 2012
Last week we began what is known as “The Olivet Discourse”
Our Lord had just finished His scathing confrontation of the hypocrites
And had pronounced judgment on the temple itself.
As He was leaving the disciples began to marvel over the buildings.
Jesus responded by saying:
Matthew 24:2 “And He said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down.”
This statement pricked the curiosity of the disciples
And when they finally stopped on the Mount of Olives they asked:
“Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”
And as we said last week, that question probably sums up
All that you have ever wanted to know about the end times as well.
When will it happen, and what will it be like?
It is in reference to that question that Jesus gives this Olivet Discourse.
Matthew 24 & 25 are Jesus’ answer to that very question.
Now last week we saw an overview of this amazing discourse
And began to understand the purpose behind it.
Jesus does not so much focus on the specifics of the end
As He does on making sure people are ready for the end.
But now let’s go back and take a closer look at what Jesus had to say.
SO THE DISCIPLES COME ASKING: WHEN AND WHAT?
Now it is also important to note that the disciples were expecting
This reality to come soon, possibly even by the end of the week.
• After all Jesus had just entered Jerusalem.
• Jesus had just silenced the hypocrites.
• And now it seemed to the disciples that the timing was right for Him to usher in His kingdom.
They expected it to be any day.
They had failed to understand the gap that existed
In the Old Testament prophecies.
You read:
Isaiah 9:6-7 “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.”
When one reads that prophecy it is easy to understand
Why they only saw One coming of the Messiah.
They never expected a 2,000+ year gap
Between the coming of the child and the building of a kingdom.
So the disciples expected it now.
This is further reinforced by the fact that
They did not accept the teachings on His death.
Matthew 16:21-22 “From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day. Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You.”
And even after the death and resurrection of Jesus,
The disciples still expected the kingdom immediately.
Acts 1:6 “So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?”
It is important that you understand their mindset
Because it helps explain why Jesus taught what He did.
If the disciples were expecting the kingdom immediately,
Then they were obviously not ready for the
Devastation, Tribulation, and Abomination that would precede it.
THAT WAS A DANGEROUS POSITION.
They ran the risk of being caught off guard when the hardship breaks out.
And so we understand then why Jesus spent the first 31 verses
First talking about the hardship that will precede His coming.
It doesn’t do anyone any good to be naïve about the coming hardship.
And this is why Jesus answers the way He does.
Now last week I told you, we can break the sermon up
Into two main points, each of which has four sub-points.
I. The Explanation (24:4-31)
A. Devastation (4-8)
B. Tribulation (9-14)
C. Abomination (15-28)
D. Coronation (29-31)
II. The Exhortation (24:32 – 25:46)
A. Vigilance (32-52)
B. Endurance (25:1-13)
C. Obedience (14-30)
D. Benevolence (31-46)
This morning I want to start talking about this coming devastation.
We know that devastation is a reality,
We know it is coming, our Lord promised it.
But what does it entail?
3 things Jesus shows us here about it.
#1 FALSE CHRISTS
Matthew 24:4-5
The first warning Jesus issues in regard to this devastation
Is a warning regarding Messianic Phonies, Christ-Impersonators.
The reason of course is that when things began to unravel and chaos begins to unfold, people will more readily look for help and hope.
People are always more eager to meet Jesus in the midst of a tragedy,
And no doubt Satan will take advantage of this desire.
Seeking to keep people from trusting in the true Christ,
Satan will supply a host of false Christs To keep the people deceived and headed on the wrong path.
And we learn some very specific things about them here.
1) THEIR PRESENCE
“For many will come”
While today it is true that from time to time
We have a person who pretends to be Jesus,
This day will present a much higher population of them.
At Christmas we look up and there are Santas everywhere,
On this day it will be false Messiah’s everywhere.
And the reason for this is not hard to deduce.
Religion has always been a way to make a good profit.
Speaking of false prophets Peter said:
2 Peter 2:13-15 “They count it a pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are stains and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, as they carouse with you, having eyes full of adultery that never cease from sin, enticing unstable souls, having a heart trained in greed, accursed children; forsaking the right way, they have gone astray, having followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;”
Today it is the T.V. preacher that promises healing and blessing
If you will only send in a small “seed faith” gift to his ministry.
They seek to capitalize off of a world steeped in sickness and disease.
In the end it will be pretenders claiming to be the Messiah
Seeking to capitalize off of people’s desire to find relief.
And there will be a lot of them.
2) THEIR PRETENSE
“For many will come in My name”
And this is important.
They will attribute their power to their affiliation with God.
This is one of the things that makes people like this so dangerous.
• They don’t come telling you Satan is the Savior (obviously wrong)
• They come telling you Jesus is the Savior
They are sneaky and sly in what they do.
Paul said of them:
2 Corinthians 11:12-15 “But what I am doing I will continue to do, so that I may cut off opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the matter about which they are boasting. For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.”
When they come they will assure they are one of the good guys.
3) THEIR PROCLAMATION
“saying, ‘I am the Christ,’”
And this is truly shocking.
After worming their way in by claiming to be on Jesus’ side,
They will then genuinely cross the line and claim to be Him.
This is when their fruit begins to display.
They are seeking to get men to follow Jesus,
They are seeking to get men to follow themselves.
Do you remember the warning Paul gave to the Ephesian elders?
Acts 20:29-30 “I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.”
And that is where these men cross the line.
• The fact that there are many of them is not a problem.
• The fact that they come in Jesus’ name is not a problem.
• But when they claim to be the Christ, we have a problem.
This is what Jesus is saying to watch out for.
Don’t be so eager for relief that you settle for a false deliverer.
Men will want a Savior, and deceivers will offer them one.
And then the tragedy
4) THEIR PROSELYTES
“and will mislead many”
This isn’t shocking, this is sad.
It should be obvious that these men are not the Christ
And yet they will be highly successful in convincing men that they are.
“They don’t call it deception for nothing”
Many people will follow.
2 Peter 2:1-3 “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.”
Many will follow because they will be offering what the many want.
Mankind has always been this way.
The reason they reject Christ is because He didn’t offer what they wanted.
Oh sure, He offered eternal life, but He required repentance to obtain it.
Men didn’t want that, and so they rejected Him.
And even today it is as Paul told Timothy that men gather around them
“a multitude of teachers to tell them what their itching ears want to hear.”
• Sensual people love a sensual preacher.
• Greedy people love a material preacher.
• Sinful people love a tolerant preacher.
Men will want deliverance while being allowed to stay in their sin,
And that is precisely what Satan will offer.
He’ll offer a Jesus that lets you keep your sin, and many will be deceived.
Verse 24 of this chapter even says that they “will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.”
They will pull out all the stops.
And they will be effective.
And that is why Jesus gave the warning that He did in verse 4.
“And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you.”
• Make sure you aren’t deceived.
• Make sure you aren’t misled.
• Make sure you are duped by these guys.
And let me give you a very important truth to help you not be misled.
TURN TO: DEUTERONOMY 13:1-5
How are you supposed to see through someone who can perform signs?
Because this sign told you to go against
The already revealed word of God.
God’s revealed word takes president over a miraculous sign.
WHAT DICTATES WHAT YOU BELIEVE?
• Do you believe because you see? (dangerous)
• Do you believe because you experience? (dangerous)
(Either one of those will have you following a false Christ)
We believe because we hear / read.
Romans 10:17 “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.”
That’s what Moses was saying.
Don’t let a sign trump the revealed word of God.
And that is important information
Since we know that many false Christ’s are on their way.
#2 FRIGHTENING CALAMITY
Matthew 24:6-7
So deceivers aren’t the only thing that is coming,
We will also get our fair share of destruction.
And notice some aspects of this.
1) THE NEWS
“You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars”
You watch the news, and you understand what I’m talking about here.
I once heard the line in regard to a news cast, “If it bleeds, it leads”
The news loves stories of carnage and shock.
And the same is true for rumors.
And Satan will make sure you hear
Every frightening thing that is going on in the world.
This will play right into the hands of those false Christs
Who are offering salvation.
The news will be everywhere, everyone will be talking about it.
2) THE NECESSITY
“for those things must take place”
That is interesting.
Why must there be wars and rumors of wars, and eventually these earthquakes and famines?
Isaiah said this:
Isaiah 24:20 “The earth reels to and fro like a drunkard And it totters like a shack, For its transgression is heavy upon it, And it will fall, never to rise again.”
Devastation has to occur for the same reason a banana peal has to rot.
It wasn’t intended to last forever.
• This world is fallen.
• This world is cursed.
• This world must pass away.
I always find it interesting when you listen to politics,
How every politician wants peace, but none can obtain it.
• We fight in Iraq
• We fight in Afghanistan
• And as we try to end that we get attacked in Libya
• We are worried about Syria
• We are worried about Pakistan
• We are worried about Iran
And I’m just saying you’d better watch out for those tricky Canadians!
(just joking)
Point is that even in our day war seems to be inevitable.
But even more so in this day.
The world is headed down the drain and it only stands to reason
That the more immoral we get the more violent we get as well.
This has to happen.
That means it is all part of God’s plan
3) THE NATURE
“For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes.”
It will be a time of natural and man-made calamity.
The earth literally falling apart.
Now, if you want to see the correlation to all of this
In the book of Revelation.
TURN TO: REVELATION 6:1-6
That is the same thing we are talking about here.
Deceives and War and Famine
And then we notice the admonition of Jesus in regard to these calamities.
(6) “See that you are not frightened”
First it was make sure you aren’t deceived.
Here it is make sure you aren’t afraid.
WHY?
• Because deceived people turn away from the Lord.
• Because frightened people turn away from the Lord.
And if you will look down to verse 13 Jesus says,
“But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.”
Endurance is necessary if you are to survive in this day,
And so you must watch out for deception and fear,
Both of those things will lead you away.
TURN TO: 2 THESSALONIANS
Notice how the Thessalonians were falling prey to deception and fear?
And Paul writes to get them to quit.
And notice why they are deceived.
(3) “Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first…”
Should they have known that?
Yes, Daniel talks about it plainly.
So they weren’t reading the Scripture and they were deceived.
(5) “Do you not remember that while I was with you I was telling you these things?”
And so they had forgotten what Paul warned them about.
(6) “And you know what restrains him now…”
Indicating that they had willingly overlooked something
They knew to be true.
See the Thessalonians were not discerning, they were being gullible.
You have to make sure you are not so easily deceived.
Learn the truth, read the word, believe it and don’t be shaken from it.
As a result of their deception, they had become frightened
And were in danger of turning from the Lord.
This is why Jesus warned the disciples.
They thought the end was coming in a matter of days,
And Jesus knew with that sort of mindset they would not be ready
For the deception or the calamity that was coming.
They needed to prepare themselves.
False Christs, Frightening Calamity
#3 FREQUENT CONTRACTIONS
Matthew 24:8
And this is an important statement.
“But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.”
To describe the Day of the Lord, Isaiah says this:
Isaiah 13:6-16 “Wail, for the day of the LORD is near! It will come as destruction from the Almighty. Therefore all hands will fall limp, And every man’s heart will melt. They will be terrified, Pains and anguish will take hold of them; They will writhe like a woman in labor, They will look at one another in astonishment, Their faces aflame. Behold, the day of the LORD is coming, Cruel, with fury and burning anger, To make the land a desolation; And He will exterminate its sinners from it. For the stars of heaven and their constellations Will not flash forth their light; The sun will be dark when it rises And the moon will not shed its light. Thus I will punish the world for its evil And the wicked for their iniquity; I will also put an end to the arrogance of the proud And abase the haughtiness of the ruthless. I will make mortal man scarcer than pure gold And mankind than the gold of Ophir. Therefore I will make the heavens tremble, And the earth will be shaken from its place At the fury of the LORD of hosts In the day of His burning anger. And it will be that like a hunted gazelle, Or like sheep with none to gather them, They will each turn to his own people, And each one flee to his own land. Anyone who is found will be thrust through, And anyone who is captured will fall by the sword. Their little ones also will be dashed to pieces Before their eyes; Their houses will be plundered And their wives ravished.”
The Day of the Lord is like a woman in labor.
Jesus wants you to know that this is not yet that.
This is just the beginning of contractions.
Now I know that contractions start lighter and farther apart,
But the closer you get to labor,
The more intense and the more frequent they become.
This is certainly true of the end.
• In the Revelation we start with the seal judgments which take years to unfold.
• We move to the trumpet judgments which take weeks, or months.
• Then we move to the bowl judgments which take merely hours.
They get more intense and more frequent.
Now why would Jesus say this?
Because He doesn’t want you thinking that all you have to do
Is prepare yourself for a few wars and a little famine.
This is only the beginning, you need to be prepared.
Now I know one of the main questions on everyone’s mind at this point.
ARE WE GOING TO BE HERE?
And if I tell you, “No, the rapture will have already occurred, as many think it will”
Your temptation will be to sit back and not fret what Jesus said.
But listen, Jesus knew that the disciples would not be around
For this either and yet He still warned them.
WHY?
Because Discernment and Courage and Preparation
Are necessary to prepare you to meet the Lord,
Whether you live to see these days or not.
Now I could also say, “We might be there” (no one can be dogmatic)
In which case you had sure better be ready.
But the point is, this world will not pass away
Without intense deception and intense devastation.
Don’t let lies deceive you and don’t let wars panic you.
Keep your trust in the Lord and endure for Him.
NEVER FALL AWAY FROM HIM
